We’ve all known a mama’s boy. Maybe you have one. Maybe you married one. But we’re talking about a whole other level of mama’s boy-ness when a fella pulls a stickup job, finds out he’s not so good at it, then calls his mommy to come pick him up from his escapades in thievery. Awww.

Zachariah Dalton Howard knew who had his back after he tried—and failed—to jack the Thumbs-Up Convenience Store in Niceville, Fla. His behavior? Not so nice. Apparently young Zac initially didn’t have any intention on robbing the joint when he set out for the store. He was just going to get a soda or a pack of cigarettes or maybe a stick of beef jerky and the idea popped into his head, so he allegedly told the clerk he had a gun, even though he didn’t.

Alas, there also was no money in the drawer and the cashier showed him as much. So Zac left doubly empty-handed—no gun, no money, and certainly no soda, cigarettes, or beef jerky—and walked to the nearby Winn Dixie, where he called his mom to give him a ride because, like, his night was a total bust. Bummer.

He eventually got picked up alright. The cops scooped his would-be robbing hindparts up and slapped the whole of him with a felony charge. How foolish is it to be 22 years old and get saddled with that kind of record… and not even have anything to show for it?

Clearly his mom is the brains of the outfit. Here’s to hoping she’ll be by her boy’s side at the court proceedings since it seems like he’s pretty dependent on her and all. And that, even though he’s legal, she’s not quite finished raising him into an upstanding citizen. If he even gets to go back home.